The coeliac condition (CD) has an autoimmune com­ponent in genetically predisposed individuals which is triggered by the gliadin component of gluten found in wheat. The CD manifests itself in partial or total villus destruction of the small intestine with consequent malab­sorption and malnutrition. The main triggering factor is a transglutaminated peptide within the gliadin component of wheat gluten. An established HLA component is respon­sible for about 35% of the genetic predisposition. The –318 (C→T) and +49 (A→G) single nucleotide polymor­phisms (SNPs) were studied in 100 biopsy-confirmed coeliac patients and in 187 DNA samples from neonatal controls representing a random number of the Maltese population. No association of the SNPs or the combined haplotypes was apparent amongst the CD patients. The –318 C allele and the +49 A allele were in linkage disequi­librium in the neonatal samples.

Key words: Coeliac condition (CD); CTLA4; Linkage disequilibrium.

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1 Institute of Health Care, University of Malta, Guardamangia, Malta

2 Department of Pathology, University of MaltaMedicalSchool, Guardamangia, Malta

3 Laboratory of Molecular Genetics, Department of Physiol­ogy and Biochemistry, University of Malta, Msida, Malta